The present invention relates generally to an air freshening device which can also be used as an automobile air freshener. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air freshening device designed to accommodate two different scent bearing media, thereby enabling a user to choose between individual alternative scents or blended scents without changing an entire media cartridge contained in the device.
Various types of air freshening devices have been designed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,457 describes a device with two concentrically disposed cylindrical tubes which surround an evaporative chamber holding an active liquid. Slits are present in the outer cylinder to allow for the release of the active liquid. The active liquid is adsorbed onto pads loaded into changeable cartridges. U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,874 describes a two part paperboard container with adjustable vents in each of inner and outer concentrically and co-axially aligned conical members which are frictionally engaged upon one another. A sublimable material, whose process of sublimation is regulated by the adjustable vents, is placed within the inner tubular member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,229 describes an aroma-dispensing cartridge and holder assembly in which a replaceable bottle, filled with a liquid scent, is closed by a suction pump attached to a stopper. The pump includes a flexible pipe extending into the bottle which draws liquid out when a spring-biased hollow plunger in the pump is activated. U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,742 describes an air-treating device with a hollow container dispenser, containing a plurality of apertures, which holds a stack of sealed packets each containing a solid air treating agent. The individually sealed packets are individually removed, opened, and placed at the top of the container, near the apertures, to engage the air treating device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,344 describes a deodorizer containing dispenser which engages with an automobile airduct. The device has openings in its top surface and grooved sides to allow exposure of the deodorizing agent to an air flow emanating from the air duct.
Additionally, other types of air freshening devices have been invented for use primarily in automobiles. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,778,678, 3,772,182, and 4,913,034 disclose various deodorant dispensing devices which are designed for positioning in various locations of an automobile in order to employ air movement through the automobile's air duct system to release the deodorant or scent.